What causes grey hair in your 20s?

What causes grey hair in your 20s?

If you discover that you have grey hair even before you have reached your 30s then you may have to retrace your steps to find out the actual cause. It's not uncommon to find white hair on your head when you are in your 20s. Nevertheless, most people are alarmed and tend to panic. If your parents have had silver hair at the same age, then genetically, you might be prone to the same pattern too. But genetics is not the only factor to consider. White hairs are a result of lifestyle too. Here are a few causes of grey hair in your 20s.

  • Deficiency in melanin production: Melanin is responsible for the colour of your hair. When melanin-producing cells stop generating the pigment, it could lead to greying of hair. It may also mean that the levels of hydrogen peroxide in your hair is extremely high because of the breakdown of the enzyme catalyst that would otherwise control it. Hydrogen peroxide has the tendency to bleach the hair.
  • Genetics: Premature greying is highly likely when you are genetically susceptible to it. Along with this, the individual’s ethnicity and gender also cannot be ruled out.
  • Medical illness: Deficiency in Vitamin B-12, problems with the thyroid and pituitary glands can lead to grey hair too. Vitiligo also is one of the major causes of white hair.
  • Smoking: Studies have found that there is a marked correlation between grey hair and smoking. People who smoke are more likely to develop grey hair than the non-smokers. Hair is damaged due to the chemicals present in the cigarette leading to the breakdown of the hair cells.
  • Stress: Premature greying is related to stress. Hair sheds fast when you are stressed out because the hormones released due to stress can affect the melanin-producing cells and hair, subsequently, loses its colour.


Unfortunately, grey hair isn’t reversible. But you can prevent it from greying any further with the intake of certain vitamins and supplements. Alternatively, there are also several serums available that can help address premature greying.

Since hair texture changes the moment it turns grey, you may need shampoos and conditioners that can moisturise the hair.

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